Cambridge's choice voting system has consistently provided the city's African American population
with fair representation on the council, while encouraging a diversity
of political perspectives. In November 2005, the Cambridge Election
Commission conducted yet another successful election using this fair
and effective electoral system, and both African American councilors
were re-elected in a city where that population makes up only 12% of
the
population. Notably, the ranked ballot feature of choice voting allowed
the two African American candidates to win on the 11th and final round
of counting with the crossover support of other defeated candidates.
Additionally, the electoral system made many of the races competitive,
insofar as one of the incumbents was defeated and after nine rounds of
elimination, only four of the nine candidates were elected. The
remaining five seats were filled with the support of the defeated
candidates' voters in the last two rounds of counting. Nevertheless,
the council is still a stable body, with eight of its nine members
returning in the next session. Similar results occurred for the School
Committee, where the African American incumbent was re-elected in the
fifth round, and two of six incumbents were defeated.

While the 2005
November elections nationwide also
witnessed the sputtering of the independent redistricting reform
movement
in states where it was on the ballot, voters and reformers alike are
still interested in achieving better elections. As a result, the time
has come to entertain the use of
proportional voting systems like choice voting throughout the nation.
Cambridge's history with the system demonstrates that fair
representation, competition, voter choice, and cooperative politics do
not have to be mutually exclusive.

In Detroit, there have been three mayors in the past two years and the current one has come under scrutiny. Perhaps a system like instant runoff voting will help bring political stability to motor city.